WAYNESBURG, Pa. - Two complete-game performances highlighted the day as the Bethany College baseball team posted its first Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep since 2022, taking a pair from Waynesburg.
GAME ONE: BETHANY 6, WAYNESBURG 2
After the first two batters reached base in the top of the ninth inning, head coach Mike Finlan strolled to the mound with a simple message for his starter – attack the strike zone and the Waynesburg batters.
Junior Sonny Peluchette (1-3) headed the sentiments, getting a flyout, strikeout, and a pop out to secure the 6-2 complete-game victory. It was his first complete game of his career. The hurler allowed two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Not only was Peluchette dealing on the bump, but his bat was also pivotal in the win as he was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI.
Junior Jaden Nestor-Fox was a homerun shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, a run scored and two RBI.
With the game tied at one, Nestor-Fox drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run triple in the third inning. Peluchette and senior Grant Shaffner registered RBI in the game-breaking seventh inning.
GAME TWO: BETHANY 13, WAYNESBURG 3 (7 inn.)
Every starter registered a knock as Bethany sprayed 16 hits around the park in posting the run-ruled shortened victory.
Bethany did all of his scoring in three innings, three in the second, five in the third and another five spot in the seventh in support of starter Logan Bennett, who like Peluchette, registered his first career complete game. The senior righty surrendered three runs on seven hits over seven innings.
The duo of juniors Devin Toothman and Chad Behrendt, neither of which played in the opener, combined to go 7-of-7 with five runs scored and three RBI. Behrendt had a career-high four hits with a double, three runs scored and two RBI, while Toothman had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Junior Peyton Davis added a career-high RBI performance.
Bethany (9-15 overall, 4-8 PAC) finished its run of six games in four days with a PAC doubleheader 1 p.m. Saturday hosting Allegheny at West Liberty.
